World's largest vote nears the finish line

Election to test PM Modi's political power

- ASHOK SHARMA

Women queue up to caste their ballots Saturday at a polling station in Gurgaon district during the penultimate phase of voting. The six-week general election wraps up with the final round of voting on June 1.

Millions of Indians voted Saturday in the next-to-last round of a gruelling national election with a combined opposition trying to rattle Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign for a thirdconsecutive term for himself and his Hindu nationalist party.

Many people lined polling stations before the start of voting at 7 a.m. to avoid the blazing sun at the peak of Indian summer. The temperature soared to 43 C in the afternoon in the Indian capital.

Saturday's voting in 58 constituencies, including seven in New Delhi, will complete polling for 89.5 per cent of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament. The remaining 57 seats will be decided on June 1, wrapping up a six-week election. The votes will be counted on June 4.